New England Patriots LB Bobby Carpenter saw plenty of reps during offseason workouts, especially with LB Brandon Spikes (knee) absent as he recovers from injury. Carpenter can play both outside spots in a 4-3 defensive scheme. With LB Jerod Mayo entrenched as the weak-side linebacker, Carpenter will be in the mix for the strong-side job. His biggest competition will be LB Dont'a Hightower. Carpenter is expected to see plenty of playing time in coverage, regardless if he starts.